In semiconductor technologies, a semiconductor wafer is processed through various fabrication steps to form integrated circuits defined in multiple chips. Those fabrication steps include lithography patterning, etching, ion implantation, deposition, oxidation and thermal annealing. For example, a thermal oxidation process may be applied to a wafer to form an oxidation layer, such as a silicon oxide layer. In advanced technologies, a furnace tool includes a place to hold a wafer carrier and another place for nitrogen purge before the oxidation. However, the charge process to send wafers to the oxidation boat has quality issues due to Q time concern. Particularly, the nitrogen purge is implemented before wafer charge in the loading area. The wafer charge process is prolonged and the throughput is decreased.
What is needed is a processing apparatus and method to address the above concerns.